Box pleating attachment for sewing machines



Dec. 8, 1959 E. L. sl-:AMAN 2,915,997

BOX PLEATING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l f :2 @mv i o T f" h HI. -f N m A t N n 9 V N Nk I2 I I .DI

v h en A//Ur/leys Dec. 8, 1959 E. l.. sx-:AMAN 2,915,997

BOX PLEATING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENToR. Edward L. Seaman BY )W Box PLEATING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWINGY MACHINES Filed oct. 18, 1956 4 E. L. SEAMAN 5 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 8, 1959 mmmnn Illllllllllllllll lllllll'i e --.H l IVIIL .MOI MMMWILEP IJ n? m: m5 l mS AIT A Q Dec. 8, 1959 E. L.. SEAMAN 2,915,997

BOX PLEATING T'TCl-UVHNl FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed oct. 18, 195s s sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOA Edward v Seaman Af/arneys United States Patent ATTACHNIENT 'F OR SEWING MACHINES Application October 1S, 19156, SerialNo. 616,852

5 Claims'.` (Ci. H2L-132) BOX PLEATIN G This invention relates to attachments for sewing machines andv more particularly to a device` for making pleats in a material asit progresses beneath the stitching needle.

An object of the invention'is to provide a fully automatic mechanism for making box and straight pleats in a wide variety of effects..

Another object is to provide a device of the above type which can be attached to astandard sewing machine without substantial alteration thereof.

Another object is to provide. a pleating. attachment for sewing machines whereby fabrics may be pleated, or pleatedand sewn to other fabrics in one operation.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become, apparent hereinafter, and the invention will best be understood by considering the following detailed description of the apparatus by which the pleating is made, its method of operation and the product produced thereby, referring to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is arear elevation of a sewing machine embody* ing the novel pleating mechanism;

Fig. 2`is a fragmentary top plan view of the part of the attachment at the needle end of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with the. head broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end View, parts broken away, as seen from the right of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged and exaggerated schematic view showing thev sequence `of steps in the box pleating. operation of the pleating blades;

Fig. 5 isafragmentary top plan view similar to Fig. 2 showing amodied form of the invention havingl a pleat selectingl mechanism as an additional embodiment of the invention;

Fig., 6 is an end elevation on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5 with some parts omitted for clarity;

Fig. 7 isa section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is. an end elevation on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5 with some parts omitted for clarity;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectionl through a stripv of pleating material showing some of the possible pleating effects obtainable with the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. to 9; and

Fig. 11 is a similar section showing typical box pleats formed by either embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown a type of standard sewing machine having a base or cloth plate 15, .pedestal l16, overhanging arm 18 and head 19 which carries a reciprocating needle barV 20 in which a needle 21 is secured, all in the usual manner. The head 19 also carries a presser foot bar 22 to which is secured4 the presser foot 24 .beneath'which are the usual oscillating feed dogs 25t which advance the: material underneaththe presser foot24. The machine lis provided with the usual main shaft (not shown) to which is secured the hand wheel 26 and pulley 28 through which the machine is driven.

The pleating mechanism is synchronized with and driven from the main shaft of the sewing machine by any suitable means, such as through a worm and gear arrangement (not shown) and an auxiliary drive or cam shaft 30. The worm and gear are preferably mounted in a frame 29`in which cam shaft 30 is journalled, the frame 29 being provided with a bracket 31 which is attached to the pedestal 16 of the sewing machine by suitable means, such as bolt and washer assembly 32. The shaft 30 mounts a cam disk 34- having a grooved or slotted cam surface 35 in its outer face engaged by rollers 36 and 38 carried respectively on follower arms 39 and 40 which are oscillatably mounted on shafts 41' and 42 secured by means of set screws 49 and 50 in a block 44 secured to bracket 31 by screws 45 or made integral therewith. The. oscillation of arms 39 and 40 actuates the reciprocating pleating mechanismwhich will now be described, as the sewing machine runs.

The pleating mechanism includes a pair of pleating blades 46 and48 which are arranged and cooperate in a novel manner. Lower pleating blade 48 is attached by screws 54 to a hub 51 carried on a pin 5'2 secured by screw 55 to one end of an `arm 56 which, in turn, is adjustably `secured by screw 58 and slot 59 to an oscillating arm 60 secured on a rocker shaft 61 by means of set screw 62. A coil spring 64, having one end 65 cooperating` with hub 51, urges the hub and connected pleating blade 48 upwardly. Upper pleating blade 46 is similarly attached by screws 66 to a hub 68 carried on a pin 69 secured by screw 70 to. one end of an arm 71 which, in turn is adjustably secured by screw 72 and slot 74 to an oscillating arm secured to a rocker shaft 76 by means `of a set screw 78. A coil spring 79, having one end cooperating with hub 68, urges the hub and connected pleating blade 46 downwardly. They pleating blades 46 and 48 are preferably provided with serrations 81 and 82 at their leading edges by which they are adapted to gri-p the pleating material between them as they are reciprocated for forming folds or pleats in said material. Rocker shaft 76, which reciprocates pleating blade 46, is operated from oscillating cam follower arm 39 and rocker shaft 61, which reciprocates pleating blade 48, is operated' from cam follower arm 40 through mechanisms now to be described.

Cam followers arm 39, for example, which is oscillated by the travel of its cam roller 36 in cam slot 35 of rotating cam disk 34, imparts a reciprocatory motion to a link 84 one end of which is pivotally connected by means of a universal or ball joint 85 to the lower end of follower arm 39 and the. other end of which is pivotally and adjustably connected by means of a wing nut and ball joint assembly S310 a slotted arcuate arm 86 which is fixed to a trans- Verse oscillatory shaft 89 by means of a collar 90 to which the arm 86 is'brazed or welded, the collar being secured on the shaft by means of set screw 91. The end connections S5'and 83 of link 84 include suitable bearings. The oscillatory motion of shaft 89 is transmitted through bevel gears 92 and 94 to rocker shaft 76 which in turn reciprocates pleating blade 46 through mechanisms previously described. Similarly, the oscillatory motion of cam follower arm 40 is transmitted to an oscillatory shaft -through a reciprocable link 95, one end of which is pivotally connected by means of a universal or ball joint 96 to the lower end of arm 40 and the other end of which is adjustably and pivotally connected by means of a Wing nut and ball joint assembly 98 to a slotted arcuate arm 9.9 fixed to the transverse shaft 100 by a collar 10-1 and set screw 102, then through bevel gears 104 and 105 to rocker shaft 61` and then through previously described mecha-V nisms to the reciprocable pleating blade 48. Shafts'89 and 160 are rotatably mounted in a journal'block 106 secured by screws 188 to a support block 109 mounted Von a rectangular plate 110 which is adjustably secured to the machine base or cloth plate by means of screws 1141 and 112 and slots 114 and 115. Shafts 61 and 76 vare similarly supported in a journal block 116 secured by screws 118 to a support block 121 mounted on plate 110. The shafts 61, 76, 89 and 10i) are fixed against axial movement by means of collars 119 and set screws 120. The position of link 84 with respect to arm 86 and of link 95 with respect to arm 99 respectively determine the extent of travel of reciprocating pleating blades 46 and 48fand Y correspondingly the variations in box pleats which may be formed.

The material 124 to be pleated (Fig. 3) is fed between pleating blades 46 and 48 by Ia guide 122. The guide 122 may be supported in any suitable manner exemplied by a bracket 125 adjustably pivoted at 126 in a block 128 mounted on plate 110. As the pleating material 124 is Vfed between pleating blades 46 and 48, it is alternately repeatedly engaged by their edge serrations 81 and 82 which reciprocate against said material and form box pleats therein having characteristics depending upon the speed of operation and the amplitude of reciprocation of the pleating blades. The material is then delivered in this condition underneath the presser foot 24 and stitched.

The sequence of steps in the pleating operation is shown schematically in Fig. 4. As stated previously, the pleating blades are at all times spring biased toward one another whereby the leading or serrated edges 81 and 82 reciprocate against'the opposed faces of blades 48 and 46 respectively. Moreover, the reciprocations of the pleating blades are in such timed relation under the action of their transmission mechanisms that at any instant one or the other of the blades 46 and 48 is disposed beneath the presser foot 24 to prevent the blades from pivoting upwardly. ln position A, upper pleating blade 46 is in its most advanced and temporarily inoperative position beneath presser foot 24 and pleating blade 4S is advancing toward the presser foot 24. The pleating material 124 is gripped between serrated edge 82 of blade 48 and the inner face of blade 46 and shoved toward the presser foot 24 in an initial pleating operation. In position B, blade 4S has travelled farther `toward presser foot 24 and partially formed a pleat in materialV 124. In position C, blade 48 has travelled to its extreme advanced position and disposed a full pleat beneath the presser foot 24 where it is stitched by needle 21. At this instant, blade 46 begins to retract to initiate its pleat forming operation. In position D, blade 46 has reached its most retracted position and reciprocated to advance and gather the material to initially form the second half of a box pleat. Blade 48 has remained inoperative beneath the presser foot 24. In position E, blade 46 is shown entering beneath the presser foot the completed second half of the box pleat 138 to be stitched by needle 21. After this last 'step the cycle is repeated, blade 48 returning to position piping guide 131 adjustably pivoted to presserv foot 24 by means of a bracket 132 and set screw 134 is disposed above the pleating blades 46 and 48, whereby a top fabric layer or piping or both may be fed beneath presser foot 24 and stitched to the pleated material 124. Another guide 135, secured to block 128 by means of a bracket 136 and set screw 138, is disposed beneath the blades 46 and 48 and is adapted to feed a base fabric beneath the pleated material 124 to which it may be stitched. As stated, the use of these additional guides is optional and the invention may be practiced without their use -if no other material is required to be stitched to the pleated material 124.

f tinuous length of pleating material being sewn, thereby permitting a variety of intermittent or spaced pleats.

In this embodiment, the reciprocating links 84 and 95 are pivotally connected to oscillating arms 86 `and 99 by means of universal or ball joints 139 and 140', for a purpose to be described hereinafter, the arms 86 and 99 being connected to rocker shafts 141 and 142 as described in the previous embodiment. Shafts 141 and 142 are slidably and oscillatably supported in journal blocks 144 and 1415 which are attached to an angle iron 146 attached in turn to support block 150 mounted on plate 1,10. The oscillatory motion of shafts 141 and 142 is transmitted through spring closed couplings or clutches 151 to shafts 152 and 154 which are oscillatably Vsupported in journal blocks 148 and 149 attached to angle iron 146. Sha-ft 152 oscillates shaft 155 through bevel gears i104 and 105, shaft 155 in turn reciprocating pleating blade 48 through previously described mechanisms. Pleating blade 46 is similarly reciprocated from shaft 154 through bevel gears 92 and 94, rocker shaft y156 and previously described mechanisms. Shafts 155 and 156 are provided with helical torsion springs 158 and 1159 which tend to urge the shafts to rotation in a direction to advance pleating blades 48 and 46 towards the needle when the blades are made inoperative as will now be described.

As stated, shafts 141 and 1752 and shafts 142 and 154 are operatively coupled by means of clutches 151. Each of shafts 141 and 142, which are slidable and oscillatable, has provided at the end thereof opposed to its coupled shaft a clutch disk 160 secured to its shaft by means of a set screw 161 and having a tongue 162 as spetively associated shafts 152 and 154 to which they A While blade 46 is' in its temporarily inoperative position.

The blade 46, as shown in Fig. l, is provided with a slot 129 in its leading or serrated edge 81 registering with with a similar slot (not shown). A strip of pleated material formed by the foregoingV operation is shown schematically in Fig. l1. It should be noted that the size of the pleats 131? may be altered by varying the amplitude of movement of the reciprocating blades 46 and 48 through suitable adjustment of links 84 and 95 on arcuate arms 86 and 99. Additionally, the spacing of the pleats is 'governed by the speed of revolution of cam disk 34 as determined by the gear ratio of its worm gear drive.

If desired, the pleated material may be simultaneously Y sewn to or between one or more fabric materials and additionally piped. Referring to Fig. 3, a top fabric and are positively coupled in oscillatory motion. With clutches 151 engaged, oscillation of the shafts operatively reciprocates the pleating blades 46 and 48, the torque of coil springs 158 and 159 on shafts 1155 and 156 being insufficient to overcome the applied positive torque transmitted through the shafts. Each of shafts 141 and l'142 may be withdrawn axially to disengage t-he clutch 151 to render it inoperative in relation to its associated pleating blade, as will now be described.

The selector mechanism by which either or both pleating blades 46 and 48 may be rendered inoperative includes a shaft 169 disposed transversely of the sewing machine and -journalled in support block and the depending leg 1770 of angle bracket 146. The shaft end 171 facing the operator is provided with a handle 172 secured by means of a set screw 174. The other end of the shaft mounts a spur gear 175 which is meshed with spur gears 176 and 178 journalled in the depending leg 170 of` angle ironv 146. SpurY gear, y176 is provided with conicall cam de tents 179 andl 180 (Figs. 6 and 7f) and spur gear 178 with conicalcam detents 181 and 182 for a purpose to bev described. Shafts. 1411 and 142 respectively rnount, cam collars 184 and 185V secured by set screws 186 and 188. The edge of the inner face of each cam is providedV with a bevelled cam surface, as at 189 and 190, disposed above the aforementioned detents in gears 176 and 178 in selectively operative relation thereto. By rotation of selector shaft 169' by means of handle or lever 172, the machine operator can cause either or both pleating blades to be rendered inoperative.

As illustrated, detent 179 on gear 176 is shown in camming position against bevelled cam surface 189 of cam collar 184 on rocker shaft 14d. This has caused shaft 14'1 to move axially outwardly against the bias of compression spring 168 and disengage its clutch 151 to render shaft 152 and its associated pleating blade 48 inoperative. It should be noted that the universal or ball joint 140 connecting arm 99 of shaft 141 to link 95 permits the slight axial translation of the shaft. Shaft 141 will continue to oscillate, of course, but its disengaged clutch will not transmit said motion to shaft 152.

Referring particularly to Fig. 7, it will be seen that continued clockwise rotation of selector shaft 169 will rotate gears 176 and 178 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed. Detent I179 will disengage from cam surface 189, but will be immediately replaced by detent 180 and retain shaft 141 out of operative relation to its associated shaft 152. Simultaneously with the de-clutching action of detent 180, detent 181 on gear 178 will engage cam surface 190 of cam collar 185 on shaft 142 to slide and retain said shaft out of operative relation to its associated shaft 154. In this last position, pleating blades 46 and 48 will both be rendered inoperative. Continued rotation of the selector shaft will disengage earn detent 180 from collar 184 on shaft 141 which will slide axially into coupling engagement with shaft 152 under the bias of compression spring 168 to again cause reciprocation of pleating blade 48. Simultaneously, however, detent 182 on gear 178 will replace disengaged detent 181 against cam collar `185 on shaft 142, thereby rendering pleating blade 46 still inoperative. Finally, continued rotation of selector shaft 169 will disengage detent 182 from cam collar 185 on shaft 142, thereby rendering pleating blade 46 operative as well as blade 48.

For the purpose of securing the selector shaft in any one of its four positions against accidental dislodgement or possible creep under operating conditions, the shaft mounts a collar -196 by means of set screw 198. In addition to restraining the shaft 169 against axial movement, the collar 196 is provided with a lug .199' having a spring and ball detent 200 adapted to cooperate wvith four semispherical indentations 201 in support block 4150, as best shown in Figs. 5 and 9. The position of each indentation 201 corresponds to a position of the selector shaft wherein either, both or none of the pleating blades 46 and 48 are operative, as previously described. Additionally, pleating type indicia, as indicated by letters in Fig. 9, may be stamped on the forward face of the support block 150 for the convenience of the operator.

It is thus seen that with the simple selector mechanism shown it is possible for the operator of the machine to perform a variety of pleating operations on a continuous piece of material. With both pleating blades being reciprocated, the box pleats of Fig. 11 are obtained. Referring to Fig. l0, with pleating blade 46 inoperative pleating blade 48 will form the left-hand straight pleats indicated at L. Conversely, right-hand pleats indicated at R are formed by blade 46 while blade 48 is inoperative. Of course, with both blades inoperative, no pleats are formed, thus permitting a variety of spacings between pleats as indicated at N in Fig. 10.

The pleating blades are provided with stop means for limiting their; movement underxthe needlewhen theyare inoperative. As stated, torsion springs 158 andVV 159 on shafts and 156 are adapted to advance pleating blades 48 and 46.y toward Ithe needleI when said blades are stationary. As seen in Fig. 5, pleating blade 46 is in inoperative position and has been advanced, dueto theV actionof coil spring 159, to the limiting position shown, with the slot 129' in its leading edge 81 being in registry with needle 22 to provide clearance therefor. To prevent further advance of blade 46 under the action of spring 159, suitable stop means are provided as exemplified by offset bracket 191 secured by screws 192 to support block 121 and having a stop screw 194 threaded through its free end. As seen in Fig. 8, stop screw 194 is axially opposed to oscillating arm 75 from which blade 46 is supported, and is threadedly adjusted so that its end engages arm 75 when the slot 129 in blade 46 is in registry with needle 22. A similar stop screw 195 is provided for oscillating arm 60 from which pleating blade 48 is supported.

It is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the details of construction of the embodiments above described which are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes may be made therein within the purview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A pleating attachment for a sewing machine ofthe type having a base, an arm above said base, a needle head thereon, a main drive shaft extending through said arm and head, a vertically reciprocating needle and a presser foot in said head cooperating with feed dogs in the base to move the work across the base; said attachment being adapted for removable mounting on such sewing machine without modifying `the operative mechanismv thereof and comprising a pair of pleating blades pivotally supported one above the other, means resiliently urging said blades into engagement with one another, means for oppositely reciprocating said blades relative to one another in a direction towards said presser foot and feed dogs beneath said needle, and a guide positioned to direct material to be pleated between said blades, whereby said material is alternately engaged by said blades and advanced to the needle in folds to be stitched, a pair of rock shafts `to which the pleating blades are pivoted, a rotatable carn driven by said main drive shaft, cam follower arms operable by said cam to oppositely oscillate said rock shafts, a pair of auxiliary shafts disposed transversely to said main shaft in driving relation to the rock shafts, an oscillatable shaft carried by each of the auxiliary shafts, and reciprocable means for imparting oscillatory motion to said auxiliary shafts, said reciprocable means comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to said oscillatory arms of said auxiliary shafts and to said oscillatory cam follower arms.

2. A pleating attachment according to claim l, including manually operated means for selectively preventing reciprocation ofthe pleating blades.

3. A pleating attachment according to claim 1, wherein each `auxiliary shaft is provided with a spring-closed clutch with manually operated means for disengaging said clutches under continued rotation of the main drive shaft, whereby the pleating blade reciprocated through the shaft is rendered inoperative.

4. A pleating attachment according to claim 3, wherein the clutch operating means for both auxiliary shafts are cooperatively related so that for preselected positions thereof either or both pleating blades may be rendered inoperative under continued rotation of the main drive shaft.

5. An attachment according to claim 4, including means resiliently urging the pleating blades towards the needle, said means being overcome when the pleating blades are drivingly reciprocated, and associated stop means for limiting engagement with an inoperative pleating blade ,7 8 whereby said blade is prevented from advaning'throgh 737,077 Chandler Aug. 25, 1903 the needle. v Y 1,320,185Y Thomas et al. Oct. 28, 1919 f 1,320,248 Le Fevre Oct. 28, 1919 References Clted 1n the le of thls patent l 1,412,903 Thomas APL 18I 1922 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 1,819,278 `Clayton Aug.` 198, 1931 557,500 Emmons Mar' 31, 1896 2,283,535 Burkey 1 May 19, 1942 696,101 Koehler Mar. 25, 1902 

